This unfortunately is true. The way I see it, we may be playing for bowl eligibility. As bad as you think your fan base would react to a loss in The Game. I don't want to think about our fan base if we finish 5-7 with a L next to UofM.

This year is the first time in a few years we are going to field a team that is able to beat them. We will be ready. We are going to crush, kill, destroy them. The only thing that will make that day better is if the NCAA releases sanctions to their program sometime in the third quarter...

realized that there is no comma after "Hell" in this artifact of Mgoblog lore, which explains all the google-translate locutions translating back to "Hell-people" or "people of the Devil." I guess it's never too late to notice the obvious.

Given that they've beaten us the last, what, 7 years? [6, I guess, given that last year's didn't count lol.] They still have a good defense, will get some key players back on offense and have lots of time to develop.

...and keep in mind, the "better" team on paper doesn't always win this match. We beat them in 1995 and 1996 when they were clearly the "better" team with the better record and higher ranking. They beat us in 2001 and 2004 when we were clearly the "better" team with the better record and higher ranking.

As excited as I am about our team, and as much kool-aid as I'm currently drinking, this and MSU are games I consider us underdogs in--no matter what happens before the game. Until we beat them, that is. If we beat them, then maybe next year we can talk about being favorites.

How true. I don't know how many times I got cocky mid-season during the Cooper years. Not that Hoke deserves Cooper comparisons yet. I hope Luke Fickell is our Lloyd Carr though, comes in to take over (strangely around the same time of year) for a cast off coach, fans thought he might not be ready, etc. I really like Luke and hope he gets a chance to really lead this team, since right now he's just the leader who has no power to hire or fire his staff and is on pins and needles about his job, his program's future, etc. If he doesn't get a chance this time around, I hope we can allow him to come back in 10-15yrs for a second try once he has some learing experience HCing somewhere else.

and they may improve on things as the season goes along. Most talented teams do.

But the emo side of things, damn. The uncertainty of the NCAA decision, the off-the-field funny business,, the brutal fan responses - it has to be a debilitating boat anchor going forward for the Buckeye team.

If OSU loses to Nebraska badly this weekend, then I think you can pile on "coaching change" trends on top of the heap of crap they'll have to deal with for the first time in 11 years.

Right now Michigan would have to do a ton of things wrong (turnovers, penalties, bad luck) to lose to the Buckeyes at home in Ann Arbor. But I'm sure Ohio State will bring their A-game and be exceptionally motivated to beat Michigan (to rescue their season and perhaps maintain bowl eligibility).

I'm paying close attention to MIchigan's regression in October on the road vs. NW and MSU. If Michigan shows any measured improvement in these games, then I think Ohio State is in big trouble.

I predict slow, gradual improvement as the season progresses on UM's defense, but more turnovers on offense (INTs).

OSU's defense is stil above average. If Miller manages to figure out how to progress beyond panicky freshman they might actually get something ressembling an offense. Odds of this improve if Posey and Herron manage to return to the them this season. Miller has the rest of Oct and half of Nov to figure stuff out.

I'm not writing tOSU off as something we'll just roll over. We play a rough November schedule and who knows what shape the team will be in. We're at home, which should help us keep Miller rattled, but this is not assured to be a give me game.

This is how I feel about it. If Miller throws the ball, if we call some slants or screens, and/or we ever get our number 1 reciever and senior RB on the field, we could be at least as offensively adequate as we ever really were under Tressel, maybe not 2006 or 2010, but definitely 2003.

I'd argue for long term benefit you should ride the Bauserman train down in flames this year. I don't think it helps Miller develop by making him frustrated for a season. He has no help coming from the WRs (sans Posey) and the running game is poor. DCs right now have to be thinking "man on the WRs, send the house at Miller".

I think there is a very real threat that all Miller learns this year is to hear footsteps. If he has "happy feet" problems and hurries his progression in future years, look back and blame this year for that.

Bausermen means giving up on the season but it beats flushing Miller's confidence and career.

Fuck this mentality. Fuck it right in the ear. Why the hell are some people obsessed with hypothetical soul-dong punching?

I'm looking forward to this game. For once, I don't have to "hope" for a win. For once, I can be cautiously optimistic about a victory. Damnit, I haven't felt this way about this game in a damn long time.

But I'm not getting carried away yet. There is a whole fuckload of season left before The Game. We still won't know what OSU will look like two months from now...look at Michigan last year. Sure looked like world-beaters on offense. Until we crapped the bed and scored all of 7 points against OSU in late November. While this year's team feels different, a lot can change from now and then. So let's not worry about what will actually happene in the game until the week before at least. Can we just focus on NU and our first away game right now? And then maybe beating MSU and establishing older-brother dominance again? That would be nice.

I have to remain calm, peaceful and rational. No one ever said anything about neutral and objective. This thread is something I want to talk about, so I like it. Hell I love thinking about UofM losing to OSU all year round.

Oh but I remember the days...I've been where you're at right now. Only worse. You guys have come into The Game the last ten years and come away with only 1 victory, yes. But most of those games you weren't exactly favored. Try going 10 years having loaded teams, Heisman winners, national championship hopes, and still shitting the bed the final game of the season against your rival. God I hate you John Cooper.

osu will have some players back and will always field a good defense. a D that kept us to 7 points last year. this is hoke's first year so if we do lose it will be a disappointing pass but not earth shattering, but it needs to be a close game. hoke needs to demonstrate he is committed to this game and has schemed against osu.

I'm not going into The Game with any preconceived notions. Remember '93, '95, and '96, when we limped into The Game with 3 or 4 losses against undefeated and supposedly unstoppable OSU teams? That could work both ways.

Having said that, on the EDSBS podcast this past week, an OSU fan called in and said, "If Brady Hoke doesn't beat us this year, he doesn't deserve that job. Michigan will never beat us if they can't do it this year."

Ohio is staggerred after losing at home to lil bro and will get knocked down tonight in Lincoln. By the time we get to them their grave will be dug and we will seal it. They are a skel. A weakened yet still arrogant program that will be fortunate to finish above .500.